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The Attitudes to Disability Scale (ADS): development and psychometric properties
1Edinburgh University, Medical School, Clinical Psychology, Edinburgh, UK. mjpower@staffmail.ed.ac.uk
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research : JIDR
|August 18, 2010
Summary
A new 16-item Attitudes to Disability Scale was developed to assess personal attitudes in adults with physical or intellectual disabilities (ID). This psychometrically sound scale is available in multiple languages and forms.
Area of Science:
- Psychometrics
- Disability Studies
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Development of a new scale to measure personal attitudes towards disability.
- Focus on adults with physical or intellectual disabilities (ID).
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and validate a reliable scale for assessing attitudes to disability.
- To create a tool for use with diverse populations, including those with physical or intellectual disabilities.
Main Methods:
- Utilized WHOQOL methodology and conducted international focus groups with disabled individuals, carers, and professionals.
- Items were generated from focus groups and refined through pilot studies with 1400 respondents.
- A large-scale field trial with 3772 respondents employed classical and modern psychometric methods for validation.
Main Results:
- A 16-item Attitudes to Disability Scale was finalized.
- The scale demonstrated psychometric soundness for assessing attitudes in disabled and non-disabled individuals.
Conclusions:
- The Attitudes to Disability Scale is a validated instrument for measuring attitudes towards disability.
- The scale offers personal and general forms and is available in multiple languages, enhancing its global applicability.
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